Skinner



litll'nrrn @rares a'rniwr rtree..

JOHN SKINNER, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO R. M.

BARKER, or

SAME PLACE.

HAY=TEDDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,614, dated February 3, 1885. Application filed December 5, 1853. (No model.)

A To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SKINNER, of Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hay-Tedders; and I do hereby de- Clare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciiication:

1o rIhis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in that class of agricultural implements denominated haytedders, and is designed as an attachment to hayrrakes, although it may be built separately. i5 The invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the forks and their operating devices, and in the various combinations of the parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth. 2o In the accompanying drawings,which form 4a part of this specification, Figure l is a top plan of my improved tedder. Fig. 2 is a vertical section.

A represents the axle of my tedder, which carriers two tract1ou-wheels, B, and thills C. To the inner face of each of these wheels is secured an internal gear-wheel, D,with which meshes a pinion, E, upon the outer ends of the multiple crank-shafts F G, which are journaled near their outer ends in boxes ct upon the bars H. The inner ends of the bars H are pivotally secured or hinged upon the bars I, which in turn are pivotally secured to the axle A, while the inner ends ofthe crank- 3 5 shafts are journaled in boxes b, which are secured upon a similar bar H, hinged upon4 the central bar, J, which is likewise pivotally secured to the axle. At the cranks of the shafts F and G, I place or secure boxes o, to the outer 4o face of each of which is secured a fork, K, the upper end of which is pivoted to the outer end of the rod d,which has a free movement th rough lugs e upon the end of the arrnL, the opposite end of which is pivotally secured to the cross-bars M. The inner ends of these rods d are each provided with a head, between which and the inner lugs, e, there is coiled around such rod a spring, f.

N is a crass-bar upon the thills Cin advance l of the axle, from which rise three posts or 5o l standards, O, in the upper ends of which are adjustably secured the upper ends ofthe bars I), the lower ends of which are properlysecured to the outer ends of the bars I J.

In practice, in the forward movement of the 5 machine a rotary motion is communicated to the multiple crank shafts, which impart a kicking movement to the forks to raise and spread the hay. Should the forks come in contact with an obstruction that they could 6C not lift or straddle, their upper ends will yield by the contraction of the springs f. Vhere the forks meet an unusual obstruction-such as a sudden rise in the ground-the shaft and bars H will yield radially from the bars I I J, returning to their original position by their gravity, or a spring-connection of any suitable character' may be employed to compel such an action of the parts. By the employment of the bars I and P, the latter being adjusta- 70 ble in the posts O, I am enabled to readily raise or lower the operating parts radially from the axle, and by having the crankshaft in two parts the wheels can travel in opposite directions in turning.

I have above described my device as an entire construction within itself; but it can readily be seen that the wheels of a hay-rake may be provided with the gear-wheels D., and the other operating parts of the tedder be se- 8o cured to the rake-head after the teeth have been raised. The rake-teeth would then act as guards to prevent hay from falling into the operating parts of the tedder and clogging them. 8 5

W'hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the bars H,pivoted to the frame, andacrank shaft or shafts adapted to be rotated by the travel of the wheels, and journaled in boxes upon 9o the ends of said bars, whereby said shafts and bars may have a yielding movement independent of the frame, substantially as described. y

2. In a hay-tedder, the means for adjusting the eleva-tion of the operating parts, consisting of the bars I I J7Arods P, and posts O, eonl forks K, the arms L. and spring-rods d, pivstructed, arranged,V and operating 'slost-anl oted to the upper endsof the forks, substan- 1o tially as and for the purposes set forth.` tially as set forth.

3. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the T 5 crank-shafts F and Gr, bars H, I I, and J, axle JGHN SKD NER A, Wheels B,'and gears D E, substantially as I Witnesses: specified. l II. S. SPRAGUE,

4. In a hay-tedder, n combination with the E. SCULLY. 

